A great Longer Lewisham Ride today! I’ll admit I was feeling a bit worried about it beforehand. A pollution and pollen spike on Thursday tipped me into a fairly bad asthma attack. It was the day I planned to recce the ride and I was too ill to do that and the attack also left my lung function pretty low. I use a peak flow monitor to keep track of… Read More »A Two Counties Ride
Over the last few months, we’ve wanted to hear more from our members and supporters as to why they ride. Here’s my story. St Laurent de la Plaine (Pays de Loire) – La Drova (Valencia) bike tour A glorious late summer tour from my in-laws’ house near Angers to my friend’s home near Valencia. 1200 Kilometres over 12 stages, due south from the Loire through the Vendee and onto the… Read More »This is why I cycle: Brian
Thirteen of us met up at or outside Le Delice on a beautiful morning. Almost spring like, but for the ice in the air and still a few patches on the ground. But the warmth of the sun above was already melting those and we soon headed off through Ladywell Fields with a message that two more would catch us up in a bit. Past the Nordic walkers warming up… Read More »Knatts Valley: A hint of Spring.
5 riders rolled out of Ladywell and down through Bellingham, Beckenham and swiftly down Corkscrew hill before beginning the twin drags of Layhams Rd (where we spotted some Team Storey Racing Pro Riders who quickly dropped me like a stone near the Police Dog Training School) and Beddlestead Lane, the latter of which was surprisingly free of fly tipping and traffic. Whilst the ice which had haunted previous Pudding Busters… Read More »2018 Pudding Buster
We left Ladywell early, heading out east via the Greenwich foot tunnel. Which was empty at that time in the morning, before the tourist hour, and on a Saturday no commuter traffic. So we did, I admit, ride through it! Something I haven’t done since about ten or fifteen years ago. When my daughter and I would regularly ride through it very late on Tuesday nights after kayak club in… Read More »Ride to Cambridge
We set off, having coffeed up and breakfasted, heading out through Ladywell Fields. The Nordic walking teacher called out a cheery goodbye and good wishes for our ride. I reciprocated, although wasn’t sure what to substitute for the word “Ride” to describe their activity. Have a good Nordic walk sounded a little odd. I had decided to take a new route out of town into Kent, being a bit bored… Read More »Whitstable:The Long Way. Not the Wrong Way,
This report of our leisurely 20 miler around South London comes from one of our riders, Debbie. London Parks ride (the rear view!) The morning was chilly but bright as 12 of us gathered at the Delice and we soon headed off through Ladywell Fields visiting the first of nine of some of South London’s finest green spaces. Autumn was still clinging on and the trees provided a warm, dappled… Read More »London Parks Ride
I’d already wimped out of a wet solo ride earlier in the week. So couldn’t really back out this time, as I was leading a group ride now, and despite receiving a fair number of early morning DNS texts, there were still a few who wanted to get out and explore Essex. So, wrapped up in my waterproofs, I pumped up my tyres, checked for grit bits, and rolled out… Read More »Essex Circular from Shenfield
New resolution re Ride Reports. They’ll be short and sweet and if possible, done on the day. Here goes: What a beautiful day. Freezing mist hanging over Ladywell Fields as I headed out about 7.30am. Pedalled fast as I could to Norwood Junction for the train and hopefully a hot coffee. Norwood Junction doesn’t seem to function before 8am on a Sunday however. But when others arrived a bit later,… Read More »Over The Hills and Not So Far Away
Tonights Tuesday Totter didn’t go quite to plan. Started by heading out to Greenwich via the Coldbath Egerton Drive route which entails crossing the railway over the Elverson Rd bridge, which I like to include now and again. Gives everyone a chance to practice their bike handling skills. Through the tunnel and out the other side, along the river, me trying to push it a little bit as I suspected… Read More »Tuesday Totter